Katu, Son of the Avatar
by Qi Chin
Summary: Katara added: “What about our children, Aang? We can't put them through a childhood like ours. They deserve to grow up in peace.”
1. Chapter 1

**Katu, Son of the Avatar – Chapter 1**

**A/N:** This is, in a way, an experiment for me. It's the very first time I'm actually going all the way through with writing a full-blown fic, and I'll just see where my improvising and story-telling take me, and whether they really are as good as I hope them to be. I shall try to explain everything through the story, and use no other author's notes than this one. Here's to hoping it'll work out.

**Disclaimer:** 'Avatar' does not belong to me.

* * *

"Zuko must know of this."

Aang tried to keep his voice down. Ever since the Avatar had beaten Ozai sixteen years ago, there have been rebels still loyal to the imprisoned Phoenix King. Luckily, their numbers were small, and they didn't have much influence, but every now and then, they would appear somewhere in the world, strike, then disappear. Fire Lord Zuko had tried hard to contain these rebels, but he also had a nation to rule and rebuild. Aang, as the Avatar, opted to help him in finding the loyalists and to alert Zuko should he come across anything.

And come across something he did. A large contingent of the rebels was camped hidden near a cluster of small Earth Kingdom villages. The land in the area was fertile, and after the war, the various farming villages in the area had been able to rebuild. The rebels had clearly been on the march, and were in all likelihood planning to raid the villages.

"How could the rebels gather so many members unnoticed? That was the largest group I have ever seen. We must tell Zuko as fast as we can." Katara was sitting on the bed. Their find this afternoon had been very troubling, and now, with their children asleep, they picked it up again.

"I agree." Aang stated, but there was something more in his voice, something unsaid. Katara looked at her husband, and noticed that a shadow had fallen over his features. He was leaning against the wall, not facing her, and he seemed to be staring at the ground.

"Aang, what's wrong?" She got up and slowly walked over to him, putting her arms around his neck and kissing his cheek. It took a good while before he answered. "One of us has to stay here."

She smiled at him, slightly confused. "Aang, it's not that long of a trip to the Fire Nation capital. We'll go visit Zuko, tell him about what we found, and come back here."

"That won't work, Katara." Aang finally turned to face her. "You said it yourself, we've never encountered a group of the resistance this large. One of us needs to stay here and keep watching over them, in case they decide to undertake anything. We'll have to step in and stop them if they attack."

Katara needed a second to take in what he had just said, but then her face fell. "No, Aang, no! What if something happens? What if the one who stays behind gets into danger? We can't let others split our family up like that again, not after we've worked so hard to build a good life for us." She couldn't help her voice getting slightly louder, and quickly stopped talking to avoid waking up the sleeping children. With her thoughts on them, she added: "What about our children, Aang? We can't put them through a childhood like ours. They deserve to grow up in peace."

Aang sighed. He could hear the trauma the war had put her through, evident still after so long a time. In a way, Katara was absolutely right. He had to think of their children. Had they been younger, still without a family of their own, it would have been easier to shoulder the responsibilities he had. But now, guilt crept into his thoughts for even suggesting such an idea. He sighed again. Zuko did have to hear about the resistance, and one of them had to stay in case something happened.

He put his arms around her waist and gave her a kiss. "It's okay, it won't become that bad. Like you said, it's a short trip. I'll stay here, you go to Zuko. If anything happens, I think I'll be able to handle it." He smiled at her. "After all, I am the Avatar."

She knew he was just trying to comfort her, but they were both well aware of the imminent danger the rebels posed. She leaned her head onto his shoulder and closed her eyes, a single tear running down her cheek. For a while, the couple just stood there in silence, holding each other. Then, Aang spoke up again.

"You should take Katu along. He's too young to stay here. Take Appa and leave tomorrow, we shouldn't waste any time."

"What about Tenko and Kya? They're young as well." Katara looked up at Aang, her eyes full of concern.

Aang gave her a sad smile. "No younger than we were when we first started saving the world. Besides," he added tentatively "they would need me to continue their training." He brushed her hair gently. Katara knew he was right, and let out a long sigh in defeat. Still, she put her hands on his cheeks, holding him in a firm grip, her eyes boring into his. Her voice had an anxious side to it when she spoke again. "Promise me you'll take care of them and protect them. You promise me that nothing will happen to them while I'm gone." Her eyes watered up again.

He held her stare, and answered in a sincere tone: "I promise. I swear that I'll keep them safe. They're my children, too, and I love them as much as you do." He gave her another kiss, but this time, she responded forcefully, pulling him in and not letting go.

"Aang." She murmured his name against his lips before claiming them again. He knew what she was feeling; she would leave tomorrow, while he would stay here, facing danger again. He hated the world for being so complex, and he hated the fact that even now, after peace had been restored, he could not find any himself. Banishing these thoughts for now, he let his wife lead him to their bed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Katu, Son of the Avatar – Chapter 2**

**Disclaimer:** 'Avatar' does not belong to me.

* * *

Aang should return soon, she mused. Being the Avatar required him to see that the world was safe, especially after a hundred years of war, and that meant that he would take his glider and fly to the outlying towns and villages every few days to gather news of any events, which the townspeople happily aided him in. It was better than having to go search for said events oneself, and allowed him more time with his family. Soon, Tenko, now at ten years of age, would be old enough to join him, and then Kya would, as well. Which would leave her only with Katu for the day.

Thoughts of her youngest son, only six, suddenly brought a smile to her face. As she sat there in their bedroom, thinking about this afternoon, she heard Aang land on the balcony of their house and close his glider. He walked into the living room, and saw her expression as she turned to face him. He raised an eyebrow.

"Are you this happy to see me back?"

Katara quickly got up and hugged him. "Oh, Aang..."

--

Katara was enjoying the beautiful autumn day in the garden in front of the house. The sounds of her children playing drifted over to her from the nearby pond, where they were playing in the water while the warm weather still lasted. She looked over, and saw that Tenko and Kya were off to the side, trying to master the air scooter Aang had taught them recently. Katu, however, was content to sit in the water by himself, splashing around. A smile formed on her face as she got up and walked over to the pond.

Katu heard his siblings talking excitedly, and chanced a look over at them. Tenko was sitting on a ball of swirling air, looking proud, when suddenly he wavered and fell off, at which his sister started to laugh and point at the boy on the floor. Katu couldn't help but join in. He was old enough to understand that they were airbending, and that next to their father, they were the only two people in the world with this ability. Sometimes Katu wondered if he would airbend when he grew up, but something about the fragility of air made him dislike it. He didn't know why, but he did not want to become an airbender. He knew his mother was a waterbender, and he had seen her bend, and it looked so beautiful and graceful that he promised himself that if he were ever to become a bender, he would want to waterbend.

He hadn't really talked to his parents about bending, and he couldn't help but feel a little lost. He was told that Tenko and Kya had both discovered their talent for airbending a few years back, after he was born, but still too young to remember. He wasn't sure what to make of it, to him, they had always been airbenders. His parents had also told him that they didn't want to force him into bending, that he should see for himself what he wanted to do. His uncle Sokka wasn't a bender, they said, and he seemed to be perfectly comfortable with that whenever he saw him during visits, Katu had even asked him about it. But he didn't want to become like his uncle. He wanted to waterbend.

Which is why Katu loved playing with water so much. Their house had a little pond in the garden, and when the weather was warm enough, he would be at it all day, splashing around in the water, or just sitting in it, liking how it felt cool and kept him warm at the same time. Often he would mimic moves he saw his mother perform, and in his imagination, the water would flow along, moving as he directed it.

But today was different.

He waved his hands around gently, once again playing with the thought of being a waterbender, when he saw ripples form on the surface of the pond, getting stronger the more he moved his hand. He quickly stopped, eyes wide with surprise. Before he got a chance to try again, and to verify that it was indeed him, and not some breeze (or perhaps even his siblings tricking him) that was moving the water, he heard his mother's footsteps behind him and turned around.

Katara immediately noticed the strange look on her son's face. It's like he had just seen a ghost, his eyes were wide, looking at her with a sense of uncertainty. "Katu, what's wrong?" Worry crept into Katara's mind as she crouched down next to him.

"I think..." he started, but then trailed off, thoughtfully looking back at his hands and the water. Under his mother's concerned gaze, he repeated the motions of his hands, and once again the ripples appeared on the surface. This time he was sure it was him, and he heard his mother gasp. He tried some different moves, willing the water to bend as he unconsciously directed chi into it. And indeed, the water swirled around, forming small tendrils that rose and fell back into the pond. He looked back at his mother and saw that she had tears in her eyes. "Mommy?" he asked.

Katara embraced her son and held him in a tight hug. "Oh, Katu, you're a waterbender!" She felt like a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She had been anticipating this day with much anxiety. Her other children have also discovered their bending at this age, and after two airbenders, she had not dared to hope that her youngest child, if he should become a bender at all, would learn to control her element.

"I'm so proud of you." She let go of him, but kept her hands on his shoulders. Surprise was evident in his eyes. "I'm really a waterbender?" He asked this as if he still had some trouble grasping his newfound ability. Katara smiled at him. "If you'd like, I can teach you. You'll become a great waterbender, I know it."

The smile of joy that appeared on Katu's face as he nodded warmed her heart.

--

Katara was lying awake, remembering that autumn day three years ago. Aang was lying behind her, his arm draped around his waist, already asleep. She gently stroked the back of his hand with her thumb, wishing she could find peace. How happy their family had been, how untroubled. But these thoughts just brought back the recent memory of their talk not long ago. She had a dreadful journey ahead of her, all the way to the Fire Nation. The more Katara dwelt upon this, the more she felt like she was abandoning her family, and the more unreasonable this whole endeavor seemed.

She sighed and closed her eyes, listening to her husband's steady breathing behind her. She cursed her fate for being so unfair. She cursed the resistance for still causing so much trouble even so long after the war. And she cursed herself for not being able to find any sleep. And she knew why.

Fear had gripped her. Fear of the unknown. She knew that she would be much safer at the Fire Nation capital, and she feared for Aang and her children. She hadn't felt something like this in so long that she had allowed herself to let her guard down against such feelings, finally enjoying life. Opening her eyes again, she gazed around the moonlit room, trying to take her mind of these thoughts. She told herself to be strong. Aang was the Avatar, just like he said, and he should be able to handle the resistance. She would just have to hurry, tell Zuko what was going on, then come back. _I can do this_, she thought.

With this bit of solace she managed to drift into a dreamless slumber.


	3. Chapter 3

**Katu, Son of the Avatar – Chapter 3**

**Disclaimer:** 'Avatar' does not belong to me.

* * *

Katu rubbed his eyes and yawned groggily. He looked around, and remembered that he was sitting in Appa's saddle. The bison was flying, and as he carefully peeked over the rim, he could see the plains of the Earth Kingdom moving past far below him. He looked towards the front, where he found his mother sitting on the great beast's head. He crawled up to her, still staying in the saddle and holding onto the rim, and called out to her.

"Mommy?"

Katara turned around. "You're awake!" Katu nodded slowly, and yawned. Katara carefully clambered into the saddle and held him close. The air up here was cold, and although she was used to such temperatures, she could see her son shivering slightly despite the coat he was wearing. !-- page size: 21.59cm 27.94cm; margin: 2cm P margin-bottom: 0.21cm --The cold reminded her of her home. She regretted not being able to bring her children to the South Pole more often, but Aang's duties forbade him to reside in such a remote location of the world, and so she had followed him into the Earth Kingdom instead. She had promised herself not to abandon him.

Guilt overcame her again.

Katu's voice brought her out of her thoughts. "Mommy, where are we?" She was dismayed that it was so weak and small. She stroked Katu's hair, black like his father's. "We're close to the coast of the Earth Kingdom, sweetie. Soon we'll be over the ocean."

He coughed. "I'm cold."

Dread coiled itself around her heart and closed it in tightly. Over the past year, Katu had become weaker and weaker, falling ill often. Her healing abilities were only able to cure his sicknesses, but his overall condition remained frail. Katara sometimes had nightmares that Katu would die, and she always awoke in terror, crying from relief that it was just a dream, crying from fear that it might become real one day.

She took a blanket and wrapped it around Katu. "Shh, it'll be okay. Stay under this blanket, I'll tell Appa to fly a bit lower." As Katara went back to the front, Katu lay back down, snuggled against the rim of the saddle and some bags. He closed his eyes and slowly drifted back into sleep.

--

"Tell us about Avatar Kyoshi tonight, dad!"

Kya's plea as Aang tucked her in brought a smile to his face. All three children were in their beds in the room they shared, and were hoping for their father to tell them a story to lull them to sleep. And he had discovered that the tales of the past Avatars were excellent for bedtime stories, provided he didn't get lost in them himself and rambled on until well into the night. It was then that Katara would come in and remind him to go to sleep himself. Or at least come to bed with her.

He sat down on a chair between the beds, and thought for a moment. "Avatar Kyoshi? Well, she was an earthbender first, and one of the Avatars who lived the longest. She must have been an impressive person even without her powers. Did you know how she formed Kyoshi Island, the place your aunt Suki is from?"

As Aang continued his tale, Katu listened to it with great interest. He was only three, so he didn't understand everything, but he didn't ask any questions to interrupt his father. Slowly, he could see the great Kyoshi in his mind, how she stood against Chin the Conqueror, and how she singlehandedly separated Kyoshi Island from the rest of the Earth Kingdom. He closed his eyes, trying to stay awake to hear more of the story, but slowly his father's voice grew fainter, and Katu eventually gave into sleep.

--

They were quickly approaching the coast, she could already see it ahead. With the ocean coming closer, she steered Appa to fly lower, out of the cold air. Aang had warned her about flying too low, in case someone spotted the bison in the sky, but she had her sick son to worry about. Besides, she figured, there wouldn't really be anyone to spot them once they were flying over the ocean. She just hoped that the old bison wouldn't tire, and that she could tend to Katu properly once they were at the palace.

--

"Fire Lord Zuko, our scouts have reported seeing a flying bison approaching the Palace City!"

Zuko stood up in surprise. "A flying bison?" he asked the messenger kneeling in front of him. "Did the scouts see anyone on it?"

"They said there was definitely someone riding it, but they couldn't make out any details."

The Fire Lord nodded. "Alert me at once when the travelers are here, I wish to be taken to them immediately. Dismissed."

The messenger left the throne room, and Zuko sat back down. _Appa has been spotted_, he thought. Could Aang be paying him a visit? Perhaps Katara, or both? Granted, he hadn't seen them in many years, but he knew that they now had their own family in the Earth Kingdom, where Aang was keeping an eye out for any disturbances left over from the war. Why would they suddenly come here unannounced?

He had unconsciously gotten back up and had started pacing the room. Zuko feared the worst. The resistance had been causing him troubles ever since he ascended the throne, causing setbacks and obstacles in his efforts to rebuild his nation. Lately, though, they had become quiet. His advisors pointed out that this might just be a pause, an opportunity for the loyalists to regain their strength. He had warned Aang to stay alert.

He admitted that it would be nice to meet his old friends again, for the last time they had seen each other was more than a decade ago, shortly after their daughter had been born, to celebrate the birth of Zuko's own son. Since then, there really hadn't been any cause for visits. He was busy reforming the Fire Nation, and every so often, he would get a letter from them, updating him on the newest developments in the Earth Kingdom. And just to keep in contact.

He caught himself walking past his throne yet again, and stopped. He tried to calm down, letting worry burden him like this right now would do no good. He would get all the answers once they were here.

Leaving the throne room, he went through a hallway to a nearby balcony, overlooking the back courtyard of the palace. The little pond with the turleducks was still there, a golden hue draping over the scene from the setting sun. It was such a beautiful Autumn evening, when the Summer heat finally gave way to more comfortable weather. Yes, he thought as he went back into the throne room, impatience and anxiety making themselves visible, it would be nice to see his friends again.

But Zuko feared the worst.


	4. Chapter 4

**Katu, Son of the Avatar – Chapter 4**

**A/N:** I'm really sorry for the long wait, but university started three weeks ago, which is why I have been busier lately. So I don't have that much time for this story anymore. I'll still update it, but it's likely just going to be slower.

Thanks for the comments!

**Disclaimer:** 'Avatar' does not belong to me.

* * *

Zuko followed the servant to a small courtyard off the side in the palace grounds. He immediately spotted Appa, surrounded by two guards eying him warily. Katara was next to him, helping a boy get off the bison. Her son, Zuko realized, even though he had never seen the child before.

"Katara!" She turned around, and a hint of a smile appeared on her face. "Zuko." She paused. "I mean, Fire Lord Zuko." She started to bow to him, but he stopped her. He laughed, waving his hand to dismiss the guards. "Don't, you don't have to. It's good to see you again."

Finally, she smiled, a weak smile, breaking through worry and fatigue. "You too."

The boy standing next to Katara started coughing, and Katara immediately crouched down. Zuko looked at him; his hair was black, but in his eyes he could see the same brilliant blue as in his mother's. He was very pale, however, and Zuko guessed that this was no natural complexion. "I'm sorry to barge in like this." he heard Katara say. "I have bad news, and on the trip here, my son became sick."

Zuko nodded. "I thought so. I'll have you brought to your guest room. After you've rested, you can-" Katara cut him off. "It's urgent, really." She stood up again, a hint of concern in her eyes.

The Fire Lord thought for a moment, then turned to his servant. "If anyone wishes to see me, send a message to the royal guest room." His servant bowed, then left. He looked at Katara again. "I'll go with you, we can talk on the way."

* * * * *

The palace was the same way she remembered it from all those years ago. From the direction they were going, she could tell that Zuko was leading them to the same guest room they had used during their previous visits. It was the most lavish one in the entire palace, and Aang had even objected to the luxury the first time he had seen the room.

They walked in silence. There should have been a lot to talk about, but after Zuko had received the news, and with the severity of the danger having settled in, they couldn't bring themselves to speak. Zuko was carrying Katu, who had fallen asleep again, exhausted by his illness. She had declined his offer at first, but after just a short distance the toll the journey had on her showed, and she had given in and placed her son in Zuko's arms, suddenly lightheaded and tired. Katara hugged herself and shivered, despite the warmth of the day. How could she take care of her son if she couldn't even take care of herself? Trudging behind Zuko as if in a trance, her thoughts went back to Aang and her other children, but in her state, they only made her feel sick. She closed her eyes and stopped, supporting herself against a pillar.

The missing sound of her footsteps made Zuko turn around. "Are you alright?" he asked. She didn't look at him. "They'll be fine." It sounded like she had said this more to herself than to answer his question, but it was barely a whisper, lacking confidence.

* * * * *

"Zuko, we can't stay here! This room is too... too..." Grinning, Zuko finished for him. "Luxurious?" Aang nodded, eyes wide and still staring at the room from the doorway. Katara was already inside, moving about and looking at the various decorations and the exquisite furniture. Thick red satin curtains with the Fire Nation insignia hung from the wall, muffling all sounds along with a plush carpet covering nearly the entire floor. The wooden furniture had masterful carvings, and the wood was lacquered in a deep red and even gilded with gold foil in some places. There was a desk, two big chairs, a wide cupboard, and a large wardrobe. But the most imposing piece was a gigantic bed against the wall, big enough to fit three, perhaps four people, with many pillows piled against the headboard and large silken blankets covering it. Katara turned around with a smirk and looked at Aang, who shook his head. "Zuko, you're going to spoil us."

The Fire Lord laughed. "It's only fitting for the Avatar. Really, people will see me as a bad host if I _don't_ give this room to you." Slowly, still unsure, Aang stepped into the guest room, still in disbelief. Zuko had told them beforehand that they would get the royal guest room, but this wasn't what Aang had expected. Never in his life had he even seen such luxury, and now this was going to be his and Katara's room for the time they were spending at the palace. Granted, it was really just for the wedding celebrations, but the thought of having such luxury for the week or two that would take was novel to Aang. And he wasn't sure how to take it. Last time, after the war, the palace was still being refurbished, mostly due to the damage it had taken from Zuko and Azula's Agni Kai, and Aang was sure that this room hadn't existed back then.

Zuko's voice brought him out of his thoughts. "Well, I'll have to welcome the other guests, you two just make yourselves comfortable." With that, he closed the door and left. Aang was still dumbfounded. "How can Zuko afford something like this?" Katara came up to him. "Well, he _is_ the Fire Lord." He frowned slightly. "You know what I mean. The war has been over for four years, but there's still rebuilding to be made. How can he spend all this money on a room like this?"

Katara sighed. "Has it ever occurred to you that maybe he made this room for you? To thank you, you know?" She smiled again as she hugged him. "Besides, I'm sure you're just not used to sights like this. I kind of like this room." She backed away and sat down on the bed, bouncing on it, as if to test it. "And I really like this bed."

Aang looked up at the change in her voice, a change he had come to be very familiar with. "Katara, we just got here!" He held Katara's gaze, a mischievous glint in her eyes. But after a moment, he gave in, smirking. "You keep reminding me of why I married you."

* * * * *

The water on her hands glowed softly and she moved them along Katu's chest, feeling the pain in there. It broke her heart to see her son like this. They have been at the palace for four days now, too long. Katu's condition had become better, but he was still recuperating, and Zuko warned Katara against traveling again while her son was still not back at full health. Katara had agreed, knowing that she would just put more risk on Katu.

But it was tearing her up inside.

She placed the water back into the large bowl on the nightstand, and closed Katu's shirt again, before tucking him. Placing a kiss on his forehead, she stood up and went to the window, looking out at the afternoon, the brightness outside contrasting the gloomy interior of the room. She couldn't calm the turmoils in her mind, and lowered her head into her hands. "Why? Why?"

"Don't blame him."

Katara turned around to the sound of Mai's voice at the door. She was leaning against the door frame, arms crossed, a serious expression on her face. Katara sighed. "Blame whom?" Mai pushed herself off the frame and walked into the room, looking straight at the other woman. "Your son."

Katara opened her mouth to reply, but then closed it again and bit her tongue. Mai's simple statement had stirred something in her. She wanted to blame someone, something, on their delayed departure. She wanted to scream at the unfairness of her life. She wanted to...

She didn't know what she wanted to do. She only knew what she _could_ do, and that was not enough. Her son was still sickly, asleep in the large bed, and Aang, Tenko, and Kya were in danger's path in the Earth Kingdom. She had never felt so unsure, so uncertain. She could see the army of rebels moving to the towns around their home, she could hear the villagers screaming and fleeing, she could see Aang rushing in, trying to help. With all her might she willed these images away, tried to calm down, to tell herself that everything would be fine, that Aang was the Avatar, that he had defeated Ozai at twelve, and could handle an army. But Katara feared the worst.

Defeated, she sat down on the bed, and Mai came over to her, putting a hand on her shoulder. No words were spoken, no words were needed, no words could help. And Katara, one of a small group of people who had saved the whole world so long ago, suddenly felt so powerless and insignificant.


	5. Chapter 5

**Katu, Son of the Avatar – Chapter 5**

**A/N:** I'm so sorry for the slow update, but I had a big presentation to prepare, and university in general has done a good job in keeping me busy.

A cookie to anyone who can tell what I am paying homage to in the last scene.

**Disclaimer:** 'Avatar' does not belong to me.

* * *

The lonely fire danced around merrily, bathing the small forest clearing in a warm light. Erratic shadows flickered against the trees behind the two figured huddled together. Katu pulled the blanket tighter around himself. "I miss dad. And I miss Kya and Tenko." His mother sighed and pulled him close. "I know, I miss them as well."

They had been traveling for a year now, ever since they had returned to the Earth Kingdom. She hadn't seen Aang or her older children in all this time, and was frantically searching the world for them, following frail clues and unclear rumors, only to find that each trail ended in a dead end, or split up into many possibilities, each one as uncertain as the others. Aang and her hadn't been separated for this long ever since she had found him in that iceberg, and she had had to force herself more than once to calm down and push her worries aside. Their home had been abandoned, and there had been no sign of Aang or her children anywhere, but she took it as a good sign, hoping that they were still alive somewhere.

Katu could feel the heavy dread hanging above them, weighing the mood down as they sat by the campfire. Trying to distract himself, he looked up and concentrated on discerning the trees on the opposite side of the clearing, but the darkness of the night and the almost new moon made his task difficult. Giving up, he whispered, as if to assure himself: "They'll be fine. We will find them." Then, almost as an afterthought, he turned his gaze back to his mother. "Right?"

Katara stayed silent, admiring the strength and hope her son had, hope like the one that she had once carried for the return of the Avatar so long ago. The thought made her smile. "Yes, yes we will." And spurred on by the surge of optimism, she continued. "Have I ever told you the story of how I met your father?"

* * * * *

Katu opened his eyes and blinked several times, trying to orientate himself. He was lying in a soft bed, covered with a red silken blanket, in a dark room. He turned his head and saw his mother lying next to him, asleep, with a strained look on her face. He had never before seen this expression on her while she was sleeping.

He sat up and slipped out of the bed, careful not to wake his mother. A soft carpet greeted his bare feet, keeping them relatively warm in the cool night, and muffling his steps as he moved about. He didn't know where he was going, but he felt like he had to move around. He had been lying in bed for a week now, and remembered his mother trying to nurse him up to health. Looking around the dark room, he tried to discern his surroundings, and eventually sat down in a big, plushy chair.

The cushions drew him in, and and Katu's thoughts went back to his father and his siblings. He had dreamt of them the past few days, when sleep had claimed him so often. His father's gentle laugh, his stories of his travels, of the friends he seemed to have all over the world. In his eyes, his father was the greatest man in the world, though he was always modest and kept saying that there are better people than him. Katu did not yet understand what his father being the Avatar actually meant, though he also didn't know that his parents consciously talking too much on the subject.

He didn't feel tired, but the cold air persuaded him to move back to the bed and crawl under the blankets again. As he moved, his mother stirred, and opened her eyes. Her expression softened when she realized what had woken her up. "Katu! You're awake!" He eyed his mother warily, not quite sure what to expect for waking her up. But a tired smile appeared on her face, and she sat up slightly, pulling him into a hug. "I'm so glad you're okay."

"I'm sorry I woke you up, mommy." Katu's whisper sounded like it didn't belong into this dark room. Katara placed a kiss on his cheek. "It's okay, you're doing better now, that's all that matters." Slowly, Katu raised his arms and hugged her back.

* * * * *

Katara was walking on a sea of clouds towards a figure in the distance. She had the nagging feeling that she should know who that was, and that finding out would be terrible, but she pressed on anyway, like in a trance. She walked for hours, and was finally close enough to see Aang waiting for her, eyes closed, and that nagging, and that nagging voice got louder but she pushed it aside and approached Aang.

He opened his eyes and was smiling, smiling at her, but something was amiss. "Where are our children, Aang?" And he kept smiling and came up to her and put his arms around her. "They are always with us." And his voice was soft and cutting and his touch was warm and burning and something was amiss as he leaned down to kiss her. And it was like she was watching herself from outside her own body and seeing a woman who looked exactly like her kiss Aang and something wrong, so WRONG, and the nagging voice in her head got LOUDER and she wanted to scream stop! STOP! but they kept going and she wanted to tear them apart but she was paralyzed, and something was WRONG but she couldn't say WHAT or why that voice was now SCREAMING in her head, and then a strong wind picked up and the two lovers dissolved into mist, and the clouds were blown away to reveal a darkening night sky, and then there was only blackness.


End file.
